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Marion City Council approved a real estate contract Monday with an agent to purchase the property at 311 E. Santa Fe Street for $5,000.

City Administrator Doug Kjellin wrote in a memo that leveling the house to the ground would cost about $5,000, and the city would like to recoup as much of that as possible. The city purchased the house for $500.

The city is looking at a date of Nov. 18 to close on the property. Kjellin said rock from the foundation will be used at Marion Cemetery. Marion Ogden also discussed with council member Jerry Kline about paying for items inside of the house, although he would need to sign an insurance waiver to enter the domicile.

Sewer

The council approved payment of $209,950 to Middlecreek Corporation to dredge the city sewage ponds. The sum accounts for 65 percent of the project. Kjellin expects the city to see another bill as the workers are almost finished.

The next step for the city would be to dredge the water at the treatment plant but Kjellin said it would cost the city another $94,000.

“They’re just going to have to wait for a little bit; that’s ridiculous,” Kjellin said. “It should be good for 25 years.”

CDBG

A grant administration contract was approved for Rosemary Saunders with Ranson Financial.

Saunders will oversee the community development block grant for the sewer project in Jex Addition.

“It’s a lot of paper work,” City Clerk Angela Lange said.

In other business:

There was a calculation report in the quarterly financial reports from the last meeting. The revenue was off because two months had been combined into one on the spreadsheet. The budget and yearly expenditures were accurate however, Lange said. The council approved the fix in the consent agenda.

A warrant of $248,179 was approved in the consent agenda, with a payroll of $26,965.

The council held one 10-minute executive session to discuss personnel and a second five-minute session to discuss candidates for the municipal judge position. No action was taken after either session.